Striping implement



Dec. 5, 1933. F. M. I UKER STRIPING IMPLEMENT Filed May 17, 1932 Patented Dec. 5, 1933 m"- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE f STRIPING IMPLEMENT Franca M. Luker, nuntingmn. Ind.

Application May 17, 1932. Serial No. 611,899

2 Claims. (Cl. 91-62.6)

The present invention relates to improvements in striping implements and has for an object to provide an improved implement for use in striping automobiles or other vehicles or painted surfaces.

The invention aims to provide a practical implement for placing stripes of lacquer or paint on automobiles or other surfaces where striping is desired and the improved device has certain advantages over striping implements as now known and used, for instance as follows:- i

First.-The needle point valve so operates that the lacquer iiows only when being used, the supply being cut off automatically when not in use. The advantage flowing from this construction is that the lacquer will not dry on and about the valve which necessitates cleaning before further operation. The improved device allows continued operation without cleaning.

Second-The improved device allows operation in such manner that there is entire freedom from all blots and blurs when starting the striper or ending the stripe.

Third-The construction is such as to permit operation to flll in a stripe between the ends of existing stripes in a manner whereby to effect a4 perfect union without blotting.

Fourth-Stripes may be made on any angle from one to ninety degrees, or on any arc or circle, and on any rounded surface either convex or concave.

Fifth-The previous striping implements involve the use of roller points to expose the lacquer ow to the air. With such constructions, once the operation is discontinued, the lacquer was found to dry and thus the implement had to be cleaned before continuing the work. With the present construction of automatically closing needle valve this disadvantage is eliminated.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawing, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a side elevation, with parts shown in section, of an improved striping implement constructed in accordance with the present invention andy with the valve in the closed position.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the valve in open position.

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 in Figure 1, and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a valve and plunger unit apart from the implement.

Referring more particularly to the drawing 5 represents the guide bar having the surfacecontacting-knob or ball 6; and 7 represents the 6g barrel constituting the container for the lacquer or paint. The guide bar 5 and container 7 are carried by a bracket permitting these two parts to hinge or pivot relatively to one another about the axis or pivot point 8. 'I'he bracket is shown 55 to be made up of two plates each formed of superposed leaves. The one plate composed of the leaves 9 and l0 is made of sheet metal bent at an intermediate point to form a sleeve 11 for frictionally enveloping the guide bar 5 so as to 70 retain the guide bar in any position with respect to its axis to which it may be moved forcibly by hand. The leaves 9 and l0 may be made of spring metal for the purpose of effectively` gripping the guide bar 5 and this gripping action may be re- 75 inforced by the placing of fastening means 12 and 13 through the leaves 9 and 10 adjacent the free ends of the sleeve 11.

In like manner the second bracket part or section is composed of interleaved plates 14 and 15 80 having a larger sleeve 16 fashioned from the intermediate portions of the resilient or sheet metal of which the leaves are made, this sleeve 16 being adapted to frictionally envelop the lacquer container 7, whereby to hold the same in place against casual axial shifting or movement but permitting, if desired, a forcible movement by hand through-the sleeve 16.

Screws 17 and 18 or other appropriate fastenings are passed through the plates 14 and 15 near 90 the upper and lower free ends of the sleeve 16 to better clamp the sleeve about the lacquer container 7.

At the upper end of the lacquer container is an inturned annular flange 19 threaded to en- '95 gage the threads on an elongated shank 20 of a feed control plug having the upper enlarged knurled or milled head or flange 21 which extends above the flange 19 and is adapted to bind a gasket or washer 22 against such flange 19 when in 100 the position indicated in Figure l. The elongated shank 20 of the filling plug is formed with a hollow bore 23 terminating at its upper end in a lateral port or duct 24 for communicating with the atmosphere when in the raised position, indicated in Figure 2, but being masked by the lacquer container in theposition shown in Figure l.

At the lower end of the lacquer container 7 is a calibrated feed nozzle or jacket point 25 having a shoulder 26 adapted to engage against the lower 110 edge of the container 7. The reduced neck 27 of the nozzle telescopes within the container 7. A valve seat 28 is formed within the nozzle 25 between the enlarged valve chamber 29 and the restricted outlet 30 through which extends the needle valve 31 carried by the weighted plunger valve 32.

The needle valve is tapered at its lower end as indicated at 33 to t against a tapered seat 34 at the lower part of the outlet port. The shoulder 28 may either form a seat or a stop for the weighted plunger 32. This weighted plunger is preferably rectangular in cross section, as indicated in Figure 4, and is provided with an upstanding perforated web 35 through which extends the spring yoke 36 having elongated parallel spread arms 37 adapted to take against the inside surface of the container 27.

' In the use of the device, the filler cap is designed on removal to permit of the placing of a charge of lacquer or paint within the container 27. Thereupon this filler cap is replaced and is screwed down firmly when the device is not in operation. When the device is to be put into use, the filler cap is screwed up to the position, for instance shown in Figure 2, where the lateral port 24 is exposed above the upper part of the container, thusfallowing access of atmospheric air through the port 24, bore 23 and into the container 27 above the column of liquid paint or lacquer therein. In this way the vacuum or par.- tial vacuum is broken and the lacquer or other fluid will be permitted through the influence of vgravity to flow out through the nozzle 25 as controlled by the needle valve 31. The advantage of this construction is that the air is introduced into the cap or top of the lacquer container rather than being compelled to enter at the point of exit or flow of the lacquer and thus retard the flow of the lacquer as in other striping implements. The gasket 22 will secure an air tight joint of the cap when closed and not in operation. The feed valve 31 is guided by the feed valve stop consisting of the brass wire 37, which guides the feed valve to the proper vent or opening, and also prevents the valve from raising up too high to become displaced from the opening. Such stop or Wire serves as a guide to keep the feed valve 31 in place.

The device is operated by placing the guide bar ball 6 along the margin or edge of the surface on which it is desired to place the stripe in such a manner as to preserve the uniform distance of the stripe from the margin or guiding part of the object being striped. The striper is then moved along, pressure being brought to bear on the needle point 33 which'projects out through the nozzle opening on to the surface to be striped. Such pressure opens the needle valve or moves it away from its seat 34 and allows the lacquer to flow out upon the surface.

The hinge 3 in the bracket allows adjustment in such manner that the stripe may be placed at any distance from the guiding margin, and also enables the placing of several stripes by merely enlarging or lessening the angle of the guide bar 5 and the striper 7; or by merely opening or closing the hinge to the desired angle.

If it is desired to make a broader stripe than is ordinarily made, an additional stripe may be made along side the rst stripe, or several additional stripes may be made to give additional width. Additional distance from the guiding object can also be obtained by shifting the bar 5 up or down in the bracket or sleeve 11 so as to give the desired distance. When the line is desired very near the margin the guide bar 5 may be reversed end for end and the small end used to glide along the guiding object with the hinge 8 closed in such manner as to bring the guiding end of the bar 5 close to the striper point 33 instead of using the larger ball 6 which would require that the bar and the striper needle be separated a greater distance.

The lacquer container 27 will preferably have a capacity to hold suflicient lacquer to stripe any automobile without relling. The plunger 32 is preferably corrugated or grooved on its outside surface and its function is to guide the steel feed valve 31 and regulate the 110W of the lacquer to the feed point. It also serves as a weight to assist in forcing the steel needle point 33 into the opening or feeding point of the striper. The corrugated or grooved surface serves a double purpose, namely, rst it guides the plunger or needle valve accurately into position and secondly the grooves serve as channels through which the lacquer flows past the plunger or valve to the point of feeding.

The needle point 33 extends out through the small circular opening at the bottom of the nozzle 25 when the instrument is not being used and thereby acts to close the opening and prevent the flow or leaking of the lacquer. By placing the instrument on the surface to be striped automatically causes the needle to be pushed back up into theinstrument and this opens the feed valve 31 and permits the flow of the lacquer out through the small opening.

The lower end of the guide bar 5 is preferably in the shape of a ball 6 so as to facilitate the atA smooth and even gliding motion as the stripe is being made.

The container 27 is quickly and easily removable and readily replaced. By having several containers, each filled with a different color of lacquer such as desired on a job requiring stripes of different shades or color of lacquer, an interchange can be quickly and readily made and the work done without delay in emptying the container and cleaning the same for use of another color of lacquer as is necessary inl all other implements.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:-

1. A striping implement comprising a container having a discharge opening and a. valve seat in its lower portion, a tapered needle valve operating through the discharge opening and closable against said seat, a weighted valve guide and seating plunger flxedly coupled to said valve movable in the container, and a U-shaped wire threaded through the plunger to engage the lnside walls of the container and projecting upwardly in proximity to the top whereby to provide a guide and a stop to limit the movement of the plunger.

2. A striping implement comprising a container having elongated side walls flanged inwardly across the top to provide a seat, a plug having a central bore terminating with lateral ports adjustably mounted in the seat whereby to open or close the ports for permitting the passage of air, a nozzle secured to the other end of the movable in the chamber, and a U-shaped wire threaded through the plunger to engage the inside walls of the container and projecting upwardly in proximity to the top whereby to provide a guide and a stop to limit the movement of the plunger.

FRANCIS M. LUKER. 

